The enabling legislation directs the Program to recruit participants who reflect the “age, economic, racial, and ethnic composition” of California’s population. The intent of the law is to provide a statewide “snapshot” of environmental chemical exposures in a representative group of Californians.
The law also authorizes the Program to conduct community studies that are statistically valid and scientifically based. Communities may include populations living in a particular geographic area, or populations experiencing a common health outcome. Communities may also include individuals who may share common chemical exposures related to occupation, lifestyle, ethnicity, gender, age or other characteristics. Biomonitoring California is starting out with small pilot projects in specific communities or populations. Eventually, with adequate funding, the Program will track statewide exposure trends over time, as well as examine community exposures.
In pilot projects and statewide studies, potential participants will be identified and contacted by Biomonitoring California staff. Participation is entirely voluntary.
